I found myself watching Jerry Maguire today, and I am struck again at just how brilliant this scene is, with Tom Cruise having just gotten fired and (seemingly) salvaging the one big client that will save him. On the way out, he’s searching the radio for something to sing to, and after a few miscues, finds himself shouting the Tom Petty song, “Free Falling”:
The greatness comes from the exuberance of his singing, combined with the lyrics of the song, combined with the events that unfold a bit later on. I am crushed with pleasure of seeing craft when directors make this kind of thing work.
It’s also a shame that the ‘you complete me’ line became such a pop culture joke, because it’s actually kind of touching (like the great scene with ‘In Your Eyes’ from Say Anything, popularity sometimes ruins its best material by over-repetition-to-cliche).
Funny aside. At my friend Brian’s wedding, I was scouring for hors d’oeuvres with one of his other friends (whose name I forget).
Me: Ooh, look a tray of food!
Friend of Brian, to tray-serving woman: What’cha got there? Anything good?
Woman: They’re mini-cheese quiches wi…
F.o.B, taking three off the tray: You had me at hello. You. Had. Me. At. Hello.
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